Don't Give Up
by Elizabeth Carter
Summary: A ghostly memory from Cassandra's past opens the doors to possibilities for the Seeker. Possibilities that can only be embraced by not giving up, of a love not realized only danced around. fem-Lavellan / Cassandra - because there are several of us who wanted it. rated M for later chapters-complete
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR: Elizabeth E. Carter

TITLE: Don't Give Up

SERIES: Dragon Age Inquisition

PAIRING: Ellana Lavellan / Cassandra Pentaghast

CATEGORY: comfort / romance  
RATING: M for mature

SPOILER ALERT: DAI

SUMMARY: A memory / a ghost from Cassandra's past opens the doors to possibilities for the Seeker. Possibilities that can only be embraced by not giving up, of a love not realized only danced around. fem-Lavellan / Cassandra - because there are several of us who wanted it.

DISCLAIMER: Bioware owns the concept of Dragon Age and all of its characters. This fanfic is for entertainment and no profit what-so-ever

DAI ~ DAI ~ DAI ~ DAI ~ DAI ~ DAI ~ DAI

"Cass." the voice was soft. Gentle. As always.

Deep brown eyes blinked open and tried to focus trying to recall where she was. Her mind registered the familiar walls of her old chambers in the White Spire. The Seeker looked around. This couldn't be right. She took to the top floor of the armory in Skyhold…

"Cass…"

"What is this?" The Seeker demanded. "You!" her heart skipped a beat. "No." she shook her head. "But you died…at the Conclave." Cassandra looked at the only man she had ever loved, had ever been with. Regalyan D'Marcall… known to those closest to him as Galyan.

He sat at the edge of her bed; his hand stroked her cheek soft and smooth unblemished by the long scar that ran nearly perpendicular to her jaw line. He rested his forehead against hers, his blue eyes twinkling.

He was the unlikeliest of lovers Cassandra could have taken. Blood mage apostates had murdered her dear beloved brother, beheaded him before her eyes when she was but a little girl. Hate and rage filled her, fuelled her. All mages blood, Circle, apostates they were the same to the young woman-worthy of only her contempt. Her loathing for mages lasted until she met the man who would become her lover.

20 years ago:

_There was a great conspiracy._

_Regalyan was one of Seeker Byron's confidants. The young mage agreed to meet with Byron to collect Avexis a young elven girl and return her to the Circle of Magi. However, when Galyan arrived, he found Byron dead and was taken prisoner alongside Cassandra who had discovered Byron's body. They escaped and Galyan brought Cassandra to a Circle safe house, only to find its occupants massacred. The two received a tip from a survivor to seek out Lazarro, an elven informant who has helped Galyan in the past. _

_The two travelled to man's hut and interrogated the elf after he attacked them. The elf confessed to betraying Cassandra and Galyan to the blood mages, who planned to attack the Ten Year Gathering in Val Royeaux. The hut located on a mountain path was torn apart by an ogre and golems in thrall to the blood mages. The elf had betrayed the would-be-heroes. Lazarro paid for his betrayal with is life, attacked by one of the ogres and Cassandra's leg was badly damaged. To help them escape the monstrosities Galyan used a flash-vial, even so they were cornered by templars led by Knight-Commander Martel. To save them both Cassandra threw herself and Galyan off a cliff into the river far below. _

_Galyan helped Cassandra into a cave for shelter, there he treated her wound and the two began to form a connection. Cassandra confided in Galyan that blood mages killed her brother and confessed that she sees little difference between blood mages and the Circle. In him she began to see the difference. Her hatred thawed a bit when Galyan expressed sorrow for what happened to her brother and to her as well as his tender administrations to her wounds. _

_Together they went on to stop the conspiracy that would have destroyed the very fabric of the Chantry faith. The High Seeker was murdered by Martel, Cassandra and Galyan framed for it. It turned out that Martel co-conspired with Callista the Grand Cleric of Orlais and Frenic who intended to use Avexis to unleash dragons on the Divine Beatrix III and the gathered Grand Clerics during the ceremony so that Callista the only surviving Grand Cleric would become the new Divine or so she and Martel had been led to believe. _

_The circle mages helped Cassandra and Galyan to escape the headman's axe as well as to combat Frenic's blood mages. Cassandra in the meantime confronted Martel, he had lost his head that day not her. As for the dragons, Cassandra slew the beasts by jumping on the backs of the first two and rescued the Divine on the top of the central spire of the Grand Cathedral. While she took on the dragons, Galyan challenged Frenic in order to save Avexis. Frenic attacked Galyan with a blood magic spell, but Circle mages put up a magical barrier preventing it. The blood mage turned his attention to Callista and killed her revealing that he merely used the cleric so he could destroy the Chantry and allow mages to rule once more. _

_To those who witnessed it, it almost appeared as if the young Seeker had taken on the dragons single-handedly. It was to become a tale which would grow in each telling. So much so that in future years that same Seeker barely recognized it. After all she slew the dragons, beheaded the corrupt Knight-Commander and the pride demon that would have finished what the dragons began: the death of the Divine and the destruction of the Chantry._

_The mages and Galyan's contributions were all but forgotten. But Cassandra would never forget. If not for the young man, things would have been very very different indeed. Had Galyan not managed to save and wake the elven girl, Avexis would not been able to use the last dragon to combat the pride demon. Yes, it had been the Seeker's blade that beheaded the gargantuan abomination but it had been the dragon that weakened it considerably so that she could do so._

_Afterward Galyan and Cassandra attended a ceremony held in honor of their bravery. Galyan was promoted to the rank of Enchanter and Cassandra was named the Hero of Orlais and crowned the Right Hand of the Divine. Galyan had changed everything Cassandra believed about mages. It surprised them both when they gave into their mutual attraction and affection for one another. _

_He died at the Conclave._

Cassandra blinked the past away. No longer was she her nineteen-year-old self but now a woman of thirty-seven. "You can't be here…" she said softly to the apparition before her.

"You're right Love; I can't be here, not really." Galyan whispered. They had been on and off again lovers after the events of the Grand Gathering. Indeed they had shared many an adventure yet their affection for one another never grew into something more serious or permanent. Duty, time and circumstance had distanced them and their strange relationship. But Cassandra had always cared for Galyan and he for her. She had never taken him for a spouse as Leliana had with her Dalish Hero of Ferldon or as The Champion of Kirkwall had with her little Dalish lover: the former First to the Sabrae clan.

"Yet you are. Are you a spirit to torment me? A demon?" Cassandra's voice growing hard, cold like the steel of her blade, the voice of a hardened Seeker. "If this is some sort of trick by Cole, I will behead the pale little waif despite the Inquisitor's protection over him!"

Galyan smiled meekly. "I am not some trick of the boy-spirit. I came to free you, Cass."

"Free me?" Cassandra repeated incredulously.

"You have an opportunity before you Cass; don't let it pass you by. Don't let fear blind you to it-to her. Don't give up on your heart and what it feels."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Cassandra quickly went on the defensive.

"Yes, you do." the shade of her former lover smiled and touched her now scarred cheek. "Cass admit what you feel."

"I can't." she took the hand from her face and shook her head. "She's the Herald of Andraste! The Inquisitor."

"You're the Right Hand of the Divine. I think it's a perfect match."

"She's barely more than a girl. I'm eighteen years older than her! I'm practically old enough to be her…"

"Big sister?" Galyan quickly supplied before the Navarran could finish the statement. "Why is that an issue? Men have been taking younger women as lovers or wives or mistresses all the time. Why shouldn't women do the same? Queen Anora is ten years older than King Alester is she not? And if you noticed Lavellan doesn't seem to mind."

"She doesn't know what she wants. It's an infatuation only, I assure you."

"Are you so certain, Cass?" Galyan's shade smiled "If you are why are you arguing with yourself?"

Brown eyes blinked. "Arguing with myself?"

"Was your mother a parrot?"

"A parrot?" then the Seeker scowled realized she was being mocked. "Oh, aren't you funny."

"That's your taste, isn't it? Smart with a sense of humor? How often does she make you smile or softly laugh? You're happier around her."

"She has a quick wit, yes. Something that is rare these days. I can appreciate it."

"You feel lighter around her."

"A little." The Seeker admitted grudgingly. They both knew better. The fact of the matter was that Cassandra Pentaghast hadn't felt this light in many years as she did around the young Dalish hunter.

"You care for her already. You worry for her, especially when you are not at her side fighting out in the field. You worry when she stands exposed to demon attacks while closing the rifts. How swift are you to hover at her side, challenging all the demons to focus their attacks on you allowing her time to close those accursed things?

"I am her protector. Of course, I worry. She is our only means to close the rifts and to end Corypheus. And she has become a good friend."

"Are you so certain that those are the only reasons, Cass? She frets for you too. She fights at your flank dashing in and out with her swift daggers and the arts of the Assassin? How often does she make sure you eat so as not to allow you to become…grumpy or overly fatigued?"

"I do not get 'grumpy' Galyan or overly fatigued." Cassandra scowled taking exception to the perceived weakness. "And I am very fit. I defy anyone to say otherwise."

Galyan's shade smirked. It would be decades perhaps centuries or even another Age before healers had the terminology for 'reactive hypoglycemia' which today they tended to label as a discrepancy in the humors. In many cases healers prescribed a good dose of leaching to cure the malady. Lavellan's cure was less arduous and far less slimy. She simply handed the grumpy Seeker a Dalish version of hardtack which was far superior to the human variety. It was in truth very palatable and very filling.

"Do you know you are the only one she makes the _lembas_ for? You know that special elven whey-bread you enjoy so much with the almond dust and raisins in. Not even _Hahren_ Solas is given such considerations."

"That is not entirely true. Ellana ensures all her companions have proper rations whilst on the road and I've seen her give the same bread to that great beast of hers."

"It may look the nearly same but I assure you that is the Dalish version of horse-bread. Though I suppose you might call it hart-bread. It's made from spelt and molasses covered oats and cornmeal. While a human could conceivable eat it, it'd sit heavy in the gullet.

"And hardtack doesn't?" Cassandra countered gaining a smile from the phantom before her.

"You got me there but that's the human stuff. As for proper rations for the others, yes, she does see to it they are well fed and have clean water as any good leader but she doesn't give them the _lembas_ does she? That's just for you."

"I... I didn't know that." Cassandra uttered softly. "She truly never gives portions to anyone else?"

"Have you seen such? And you had to have known it or I wouldn't know it."

In truth Cassandra, had never seen Lavellan share the special Dalish biscuits with anyone else in their Inner-Circle she only assumed she did, though the Seeker had seen Sera and the Inquisitor share cookies on the roof of the tavern. the human hated to admit it but the sight of the two elves sharing 'special roof time' eating 'Us Cookies' had caused a pang of jealousy in the older woman.

There it was again, Galyan's odd admission. "What do you mean arguing with myself or you wouldn't know about the bread if I didn't know?" Cassandra half demanded.

"You said it yourself, Love. I can't be here. Maybe I'm a shade of the man you loved, his memory. But am I a lingering ghostly presence in the Fade yet to pass to the Maker's side? Or am I a memory deep within your subconscious made manifest? Does it matter? Cass, don't give up. You never have before. Don't now. Let her in. Let yourself feel again."

"I…" Cassandra frowned sadly. "It can't be more than an infatuation. Like little Avexis with you."

"Maybe you should ask her then. Clarify everything." Galyan smiled. "If it helps I give you my blessing."

"A bit narcissistic isn't it, if you are a part of me and not his ghost?" Cassandra countered logically.

"Maybe. Or maybe I'm the part of you that is telling you it's okay to want this. To want her, clearly, she wants you. If you believe she has only infatuation for you, then what is it that you feel for her? Infatuation as well?"

"She's a child."

"You keep circling around age. Why? Lavellan is a woman of twenty. Around the same age, you were when we stopped that mess back Val Royeaux. You were only nineteen when you were named the Right Hand of the Divine. She's not exactly a child. That would be Sera…who is chronologically older than Lavellan by three years but much less mature. You could ask Solus about the age of Lavellan's soul. He seems very impressed by her and the subtlety of her wisdom…and foresight. So are you. She is yes very youthful, guileless even but she is no child, no wide-eyed innocent with only surface attraction to you. And you … care for her more obviously than you want to admit or this argument wouldn't be happening."

"It would change everything…." Cassandra admitted softly.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Galyan asked sincerely.

Cassandra shook her head. "I…I don't know."

The wind whistled through the cracks in the building waking the Seeker from her slumber. She sucked in a bit of crisp air before curling into the depths of her blankets on her bedroll on the third floor of the armory. She was not in the fine quarters in the Spire where her dream had taken her. She was not her nineteen-year-old self and Galyan…was dead…

It had been a dream within a dream.

Half tempted to continue to lie in the warmth of her covers rather than get up, the Seeker pondered the words spoken to her by the dream-shade of her former lover. Had he been there in that dreamscape? Was he now a ghost that had yet to move on, or just a manifestation of her imagination? Did it really matter when his words lingered there as a real tangible thing in her heart and mind?

All Lavellan's flirting…surely it meant nothing as much as it was nothing when she did it with Dorian. It was a game between the two of them. There were some rumors they were intimate but being they were attracted to their own sex anyone with any sense could see that it was only playful banter. For the most part Cassandra had only ever been attracted to the opposite sex, but she had had fantasies about her own, curiosity mostly. But Lavellan brought out a quiet desire in her…

Finding sleep again was impossible. Lying idle in bed was impossible. Rolling her stiff shoulders to ease the tight muscles the Seeker pushed herself up off her bed and scrubbed her face with her hands before raking her fingers through her short dark tresses.

The cold nip in the air hit her naked skin rising goosebumps upon her flesh giving her a slight case of the shivers. It was a bit refreshing to be honest, helped to wake the senses, waken the mind. One might say it cleared the cobwebs of a night's sleep save for the troubling dream that haunted her. The Seeker's mind ran over it and over it again and again even as she went through her morning rituals.

"Utter nonsense. It is impossible." she scolded herself. Shaking her head the raven haired Nevarran headed out to the Dining Hall for an early breakfast. She didn't know exactly what Lavellan had planned for the day; there were several tasks on the war table that called for the young Dalish woman's attention. Such missions generally took several days to complete and thus Leliana's forward scouts would set up camp for the Inquisitor and her party. The Inquisition already had more than a few semi-permanent camps in several regions.

Extended missions also meant sharing a tent with younger woman, quite possibly with just the two of them unless Lavellan brought Sera along. For once Cassandra thought the foul loud mouthed little imp to be a blessing.

Sera if anything was a good distraction. With the Red Jenny street urchin, there, there was no way the Seeker could think of a lithe body or dream of holding it snugly close to her own. Or kissing bow shaped ruby lips, impossible blue-lilac eyes shining brightly with hidden smiles, a shoulder length mane of deep chestnut red with the fringe cut short or the splash of freckles that ran across a cute button nose. Or a blue tree delicately tattooed on a lightly tanned forehead that continued along the nose to end on the curve and an angled chin. …a sweet voice with a Dalish accent.

'Maker…'

As it was still very early in the morning Cassandra hadn't donned her armour as of yet. Indeed she wore a simple purple linen tunic, deep burnt umber leather breeches and soft doe-skin boots. She recalled the first time she had done so in front of the staff who obviously believed she slept in her armour hell was born wearing it.

She also recalled shining elven eyes and a brilliant smile that followed when the Herald had seen her without the armour. _'Nice to see there is a body under that iron skin.' Lavellan had teased her. _

"_Did you think I live in it, Herald?"_

'_Frankly, yes. It's good to see you relax a little, Seeker. Though admittedly you and the Commander seem more comfortable in rather than out of your armor. You know Cullen looks a little like a big scruffy dog in those furred pauldrons of his. Someone should tell him he looks a little silly. At least your choice is sensible. Though I like the hairy-eye thingy better than the plain old black one. Is that why you wear the black iron cuirass here at Haven and when we're out in the field you wear your heavier sexier stuff?"_

_The Seeker had smiled at that. 'I've spent more years in armor than out of it. I suppose it's out comfortable habit. Not unlike you and Solas preferring to wear shoes without soles when you can.' _

'_Well when the soles of your feet are as tough as shoe leather it isn't always necessary to wear shoes. Sometimes they are more of a bother really. Take climbing for instance. It's easier to gain purchase in the crevices of the mountains when you can feel for good footholds as well as handholds. If you clap both with a bit of chalk-dust, easier still. Being barefoot is better for climbing trees or prowling the depths of the forest for that matter. Very little sound. But I'll admit when walking around on the cold hard stone of shemlen city streets and buildings it's preferable to have shoes with soles in them."_

When asked what, the difference was climbing up the craggy jagged stones of the mountains and walking in city streets the young Dalish hunter said it was a matter of life. The stones in the city were cold because they had no life in them anymore just the essence of life—the memory of it soaked in. It wasn't like the stone of the mountains that still knew they were part of the world. Those in the city have the wrong memories they don't know how to be rock any more. It had to be a Dalish belief for Sera held no such compunctions. Hell, the blonde elf scoffed at Lavellan for having them—it was all too elfy for the Red Jenny. As for Solas, he actively sought the old memories in the stones of ruins be they elven or shemlen.

Without realizing it Cassandra found that her feet had taken her near the stables. At this hour in the morning she knew the one person who would be active in the barns. Both Horse-Master Dennet and Blackwall were still sound asleep and even the stable hands were just beginning to rouse themselves.

The native Nevarran watched the younger woman tend to the massive stag, brushing out the tuft of mane that ran along his thick neck, clipping out burrs it had snagged in its fur when it was out grazing in the paddock. The Seeker had to admit the creature was an impressive beast. Beautiful and majestic much like his owner. She watched knowing her presence would not go unnoticed. Ellana would have heard her approach and even if she hadn't the stag would definitely let his mistress know someone else was near. The beast was as protective of the young woman as Cassandra was. But then again, he had been with her for several years, since she was a da'lyn hunter.

Ellana turned her head slightly and smiled gaily when she saw the Seeker leaning against the fence post. Her eyes brightened and softened at the same time. The smile was warm touching Cassandra's heart as it did almost from the start. The first smile she saw on the younger woman had been when she had made the attempt to flatter the Seeker by calling her a force of nature.

The elf tilted her head a little to the side studying the Seeker, "That is a very strange expression." she put the curry comb down and walked over to the older woman. "What's on your mind?"

Cassandra Pentaghast never baulked from any challenge, never shied from impossible odds. Her courage was incredible as was her perseverance. Only a few times had she fallen in to self-doubt. The echo of it lingered from when she had confronted Varric about lying to her. Her rage was insurmountable and then as suddenly as it rose it fell and despair hit the warrior. Self-doubt and anguish lanced Cassandra's soul leaving her more vulnerable than the younger woman had ever seen her. Lavellan broke through anguish and stilled the despair.

The personal crisis was never spoken of, never brought up, never used against her. Something which Cassandra never forgot. It was then the Seeker began to allow herself to admit her feelings for the young Dalish hunter was deeper than friendship or the protection of a guardian. And it was then she started to question her heart and what she wanted.

The flirtations continued as before Cassandra passed them off as friendly banter; after all she wasn't the only one she did it with. But it was only a game with Dorian and she never actually pursued such with any of the others of the Inner Circle. She even flirted with Scout Harding as well with Josephine though she was mindful that the flirtations with the Lady Ambassador could never be read into anything deeper. It was something Cassandra had taken quick note of. The flirtations traded with Cassandra were only playfulness, her attractions- nothing but an infatuation.

"Cass?" Ellana reached out to touch the human's arm.

"I…" she paused lost in the depths of those large blue eyes. "Nothing…lost in thought. Pay no mind."

The eyes narrowed in concern. "Cass if something is bothering you, you know you can talk to me."

A soft warm smile found the Seeker's ruby lips. "I know," she saw in those ever-expressive eyes that the younger woman didn't quite believe her. The hart snorted indicating he didn't believe her either.

"Hey why don't we go for a ride?" Lavellan asked.

"I um…."

"Oh, come on! It will be fun; Falon'len won't mind." she turned her head "Will you?"

As a way to answer the massive stag moved forward and bumped the human in the shoulder.

A rejection of the offer as on the tip of her tongue but Cassandra swallowed it. Her hand automatically went up to stroke the furry cheek of the hart. A smile graced her lips. "Oh, very well."

"Great." Ellana smiled almost childlike. "Well you heard her. We're going for a ride you lazy beast."

As if answering Falon'len moved back into the stable area then with three swift strides he bounded over the fence just past the Seeker.

"Show off." The Inquisitor scolded.

Cassandra shook her head. "Why bother penning him if he can easily jump the fence?"

"Pft he's not like the horse slaves, Cass. He can come and go as he chooses. He's only there because you humans get in such a tiff if he allowed wandering wherever he wants to. Besides he doesn't mind the company of the horses or Iron Bull's nugalope, even if he thinks they are rather dull-witted." She patted the animal's side.

Cassandra looked at the stag that had every appearance of preening. "I have seen the halla pens in the camp when we were in the Exulted Plains. They were not exactly free."

"You saw the halla paddock. Did you see any gates of which to lock them within?"

Cassandra thought back to fenced off area and truth be told she never recalled a gate. The halla simply stayed in their penned-in area. Even the golden halla the Inquisitor found and 'herded' back to the camp had gone in voluntarily making herself known to the other halla and the camp.

"No I can't say that I had."

Ellana smiled. "And you never will. The halla and hart are our friends. We do not imprison them. They come and go as they will." she scratched Falon'len's neck. Then quick as you like she vaulted to his back, leaned down and offered her arm. "Come on, up you get."

"You know I've never ridden anything other than a horse. And I've stopped riding bareback since I was a young girl." She wasn't about to mention she had eaten more than a few dozen harts in her day. Knowing they were as intelligent as mabari she doubted she ever would again. Somehow it seemed wrong to eat something that had actual comprehension and intelligence.

The elf playfully smiled "But what about all those dragons you killed back in Val Royeaux?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say I actually rode them as such." Cassandra latched onto the arm and helped leverage herself onto the back of the stag behind Ellana. She shifted her weight finding a more comfortable position. Truth be told mounted onto the back of the stag didn't actually feel any different than being on a horse. "Mostly I was hanging on for dear life while trying to find the vulnerable areas between the scales to tear out major nerve clusters along the spine in order to bring them down." she said explaining away her dragon rides.

Almost automatically she placed her arms around the thin waist of the elf seated in front of her. Lavellan clicked her tongue and twitched her thighs signaling for Falon'len to move. With no saddle, they were forced to use their leg muscles to stay in place especially as the massive beast sped up into a canter.

Cassandra was about to ask how Ellana could guide the animal with no reins, then she felt one leg or the other flex along the hart's long barrel—subtle singles that Falon'len obeyed without hesitation or protest as might a high-spirited horse. In fact, the stag took his orders as well as any well trained soldier from their commanding officer within the military.

A stray almost libidinous thought crept into the Seeker's mind: how easy it would be to lean in and kiss that delicate neck, to continue a trail of kisses to the ears to lick the very tip. It was rumoured elven ears were extremely sensitive…to touch; she couldn't help but wondered just how sensitive they were. Cassandra shook her head in a vain attempt at forcefully exorcizing those thoughts from her imagination with little or no luck.

"Are you okay?" Ellana asked.

"I…I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You just shivered, a little."

"Oh!" Cassandra exclaimed suddenly very grateful the elf hadn't turned around as she felt the heat rush to her face and it would be mortifying for the Inquisitor to see the blush she knew she was sporting. "It is nothing. It is only very new to me to ride on the back of the hart." she half-lied.

The Seeker heard rather than saw the devilish smile on the younger woman's lips as she asked: "Wanna see how fast he can truly go?" Not waiting for her partner to answer she leaned forward to speak to her mount. "Come Falon'len, let's fly. Give it your all!"

The hart bugled in consent and excitement. His forelegs skipped ahead as he surged forward into a full-on gallop. His neck stretched out, the muscles under his sleek hide rippled as his legs pumped gaining further momentum. Instinctively—Lavellan leaned down along the neck, her hands gripping either side of his mane, unintentionally pushing her backside into Cassandra's front as she blended with the mount.

Cassandra as good a rider as any chevalier leaned down along with her riding partner. Her thighs squeezed tightly holding on to the stag as her arms held tightly onto the elf. The beast seemed to take it as a sign to gather his strength and rush forward. Soon the three of them were moving as one. When Falon'len leapt over the embankments of a stream the riders moved fluidly with him. They whooped and laughed as he landed and continued to race ahead. It was almost as if in their glee he found renewed energy.

They dashed across the valley to a small grove here the stag slowed to a canter to a trot and finally to a walk. His breath was heavy and hot. He wandered a bit before stopping. Lavellan leaned over and patted the frothy neck. "Thank you lethallin." she said then kissed his neck. "Better walk it off, I don't want you to get ill."

Cassandra shook her head incredulously. "I still find it amazing he understands you."

"Pft I told you my lovely Seeker, he's smarter than a shemlen horse." she half turned and patted Cassandra on her thigh, "Slid down first so I can."

Cassandra let go almost reluctantly of her elven companion's waist as she slid off the stag. But even as she did so the Inquisitor was right behind her. The stag nuzzled first his mistress then he brushed his head against Cassandra. The human having ridden enough horses in her lifetime knew affection when she saw or rather felt it. She petted the spot just between the stag's massive antlers. Fingering the forelock

"Go on, listen to your mistress. If you don't warm down, you'll become ill. Thank you for the ride."

The stag snorted and tossed his massive head before wandering off in search of new green shoots.

"He likes you." Lavellan smiled causing her whole face to light up.

"Falon'len is an excellent mou…friend." Cassandra corrected herself. For the stag was far far more than a mere mount. There were many riders who would also say the same of their horses to be sure. And there were some intelligent horses, but they all had a crap memory which was why they spooked so easily. The stag was a long-time companion of the young elven huntress…yes it was fair to say he was far more than a mount.

"So…" Lavellan said none too subtly, "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

Cassandra snapped her head around from watching the massive deer grazing to the elf. Before she even opened her mouth to protest that nothing was wrong the Inquisitor shook her ember maned head.

"Come on, Cass. I may not have known you as long as our Spymaster or my other Advisers but I've learned to read your expressions. I know something is vexing you."

The Seeker shook her head, her face a small smile. "_Inquisitor_ indeed. Of course, you noticed. You don't miss much."

"I'm talented that way. Comes with living your whole life in the forest." and there was that beautiful butterfly-in-the-stomach teasing smile. The smile Cassandra fell in love with. It would be so easy…to lean in and…

"Cass?"

…kiss

"I…ah…actually wanted to talk to you alone."

The elf shrugged. "Aren't we alone?"

Cassandra wanted to kick herself for the blush she knew that hit her cheeks. "Right. Of course, we are…" she swallowed. She rubbed the back of her neck. She was a warrior for Andraste's sake! She never cowered; the times she felt herself faltering she could count on one hand and still have fingers left over. The last had been…in Lavellan's arms as Cassandra doubted herself claiming she didn't belong with the Inquisition. The Inquisitor refused to allow the Seeker to surrender to melancholia.

"The flirting…" Cassandra started. "I've noticed it…unless it's my imagination. Which is entirely possible." The last bit was said very quickly.

Lavellan smiled. She looked almost relieved that her efforts had been acknowledged. "No, It's not your imagination."

All the courage her dream with Galyan had given Cassandra now waned "You…cannot court me if that is your intention." with those words the younger woman's smile fell and all but disappeared. "It's impossible."

"Why is it impossible, exactly?" the large blue-violet eyes held the accusatory expression of watching someone kicking a puppy and unable to stop it from happening. Why did it have to be those eyes…

"That should be obvious." Cassandra said unable to look at the elf's expression. It was for the best, if she ended things now before they even had a chance to come to light, to live, it couldn't happen.

"Well it isn't obvious to me." again with the hypnotic glittering all-too expressive eyes. Cassandra was drowning in them.

The Nevarran's own face fell partly in confusion, partly in denial and partly because it simply could not be, even if she wanted it. "You intend to properly court me? You of all people?"

"Yes me. I care not that you're shemlen or a devout Andrasian. I value your beliefs and being shemlen makes you…I don't know exotic… So why not me? Is it because I'm an elf or because I'm a Dalish 'savage'?"

"NO! That has no bearing at all. Of course, it doesn't." Cassandra said trying to reassure Lavellan. "Race has absolutely nothing to do with the reasons. And before you ask being of the same sex doesn't either. It just cannot be." Cassandra said firmly. She offered nothing more in the way of why she was denying the courtship. Determined to hang on to her resolve as she had the backs of those dragons nearly twenty years ago, she began to walk back towards Skyhold, leaving Lavellan alone with the stag

Lavellan felt as if the world had been kicked out from under her—again. In her frustration, she kicked at a clod of dirt causing it to plume outwards in an explosion of dust motes.

Five steps, then ten. Cassandra's hindbrain screaming at her, strange how at this particular moment it sounded an awful lot like Galyan 'Maker's Breath woman, what are you doing!? Because you're a damned coward when it comes to romance is not a good enough reason…go back to her! Just turn around and go BACK!'

"I take it back," her words caught the younger woman by surprise. The elf had been resting her tattooed forehead against the stag's withers unaware the human had returned. "That is what I want!" Lavellan looked up, watching as Cassandra approached her. Her dark brown eyes looked torn, unsure, her voice shaken. "I want someone who sweeps me off my feet, who gives me flowers and reads me poetry by candlelight. I want the ideal." almost heartbroken the Nevarran added. "You are the Inquisitor and the Herald of Andraste! You cannot be that someone."

"You won't even give me a chance to try?" the younger woman reached out to touch Cassandra's scarred cheek, but the Seeker caught it before the delicate fingers made contact. Her eyes still remorseful, sad and yet hopeful and unsure.

"The world hinges on our actions. We face death at every turn, Inquisitor." she dropped the hand she was holding.

"That doesn't change how I feel about you, Cassandra."

"It changes everything." the human whispered. This time when she turned to walk away she continued her retreat, leaving the Dalish huntress alone in the grove with the hart.

The animal pushed against his mistress as if telling her to go after Cassandra. Yet Lavellan made no move to do so. "No, you heard her, Falon'len." Deftly the elf hopped onto the back of her mount. "She wants the ideal romance. Come-on we have some shopping to do." She sighed. "Guess that means we're going to the City of Lights." the beast snorted. "Yeah, yeah, I know-I know I hate that place. Fenedhis …I love her Lethallin. They'll have to have all the things for Cassandra's ideal romance there, so we're going. I am not missing this opportunity, even If I don't know a damn thing about shemlen poetry." a smile hit her face. "But I know someone who does."

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DA3: Lexicon

Du bist schön = you are gorgeous

Liebling = beloved / darling

Hahren – honored elder

lembas – elven whey bread (yes from LOTR owned by Tolkien, no copywrite infringement meant )

Fenedhis – common Dalish curse


	2. Chapter 2

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Cassandra meandered the halls of Skyhold, inadvertently prowling those areas the Inquisitor favored most. The Forge with Danga and Harret. The library, the herb garden, her mind in a dense fog for she could not get Ellana's sweet face out of her thoughts. The almost kiss, the words…

"_That is what I want! I want someone who sweeps me off my feet, who gives me flowers and reads me poetry by candlelight. I want the ideal. You are the Inquisitor and the Herald of Andraste! You cannot be that someone."_

"_You won't even give me a chance to try?"_

"_The world hinges on our actions. We face death at every turn, Inquisitor."_

"_That doesn't change how I feel about you, Cassandra."_

Her wanderings had not gone unnoticed. A shadow from the rookery descended as softly and silently as a feather fluttering down to the floor.

'It doesn't change how I feel about you either, Ellana.' her mind whispered Despite all her training, all her inner-control, against all the odds, Cassandra had fallen in love with the elf. Once a prisoner suspected by the Seeker no less of the most heinous crime of mass murder and the assassination of the Divine. Now this elf, this young woman—the Herald of Andraste –the Inquisitor was the woman Cassandra loved. It changes everything. Everything.

"So…you've fallen for a Dalish woman too, have you?" Leliana voice drifted out from the shadows causing Cassandra to spin around and face the speaker. It was almost as if the Spymaster plucked the very currents of the air for the Seeker's wandering thoughts.

"I…don't know what you're talking about." it was too quick a denial.

"Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast you are many things with many fine skills but you are not a very good liar. You do not have the Bardic talents in order to pull it off." teased the Spymaster. "I, Hawke and now you have succumbed to their elven charms. I wonder what it is about the Dalish women that draw us to them?"

Cassandra drew in a breath, "Even if I want it to be it cannot be. She is the Herald of Andraste."

"And you are the Right Hand of the Divine."

"Am I still the Right Hand without Justinia?"

"Am I the Left Hand? This Inquisition was called on by our Divine should the Conclave fail. We still serve her, her purpose do we not? And why shouldn't the Right Hand of the Divine be with the Herald of Andraste?" Leliana unwittingly echoed Galyan's spectral words. "Is not the Divine the Right Hand of Andraste-of the Maker? It makes perfect sense, a wonderful romantic story. No?" The redhead grinned wickedly. "And I know you're a sucker for a good romance story."

"I would ask how you would know about she and I when there isn't even an 'us' yet. But I know you, Leliana. Nothing escapes your notice. Hearing memories in a dream is one thing. but to have you echo it…is disturbing."

"If I am echoing a voice from your dreams perhaps there is a reason, no? Of all the lives at the Conclave she alone survived. Chosen by Andraste herself and given the ability to seal shut the doors to oblivion. You were chosen by two Divines to be their Right Hand. Do not fight that which the Maker desires to unite."

"You truly think this is supposed to happen? The Maker some great match-maker?"

"The Maker wishes his Children to be happy."

"Only she is not Andrasteian. Ellana honors Andraste but she has no love for the Maker."

"I dare say not many Dalish do, Cassandra. Clearly that is not relevant for the Maker and his Bride believe in her. They believe she is key to stopping Corypheus. The Maker chose a Dalish huntress to be his Champion in order to stop the Fifth Blight, now he through Andraste chooses another to stop a monster of the First Blight—a Magister who walked the Halls of the Golden City and turned it Black.

"You never hid what you felt for our young Inquisitor, Cassandra. Back in Haven it was clear as the sun shimmering on the surface of water. Your worry for her, your constant protection of her, the fear you held for her after Haven fell. I saw the look on your face that night when we found her bruised and broken body so close to death, near frozen from the wind and the snow. We would have lost her to hypothermia if not for you."

Cass closed her brown eyes recalling that terrible night. Lavellan had never looked so small, so frail as she had on that night. After stripping her of her armour to tend to her wounds and forcing hot broth down her throat, Cassandra had stripped down and held the practically frozen young woman to her own body so they might share the warmth of the bedroll. While others could have done the same, it was only Cassandra that would not have caused the elf into panic when she woke. It was only Cassandra's presence that stilled the bitter tremors.

"Cassandra, if you have a chance for happiness and love…don't give it up. Trust me on this. Take hold of it; treasure it as long as you can." Leliana touched the arm of the taller woman. "Don't give up on what's before you. I once told the Herald that love is common, that love is simple…and it is but it is also rich and decadent. I told my wife that before our first time together in our camp. That love was rich and decadent like caramel pudding." the redhead's white teeth gleamed in a devilish smile of remembrance of that wonderful glorious first night as lovers.

"Common and simple, rich and decedent? You cannot believe both things. And don't give me that line about being a woman having the right to be inconsistent. I'm a woman and I am not that inconsistent. I never was."

Leliana chuckled. "No, your fallacies are that your brash, impulsive, and have anger management issues."

"You're good at naming faults aren't you." the Seeker scowled folding her arms over her chest.

"Did you not stab a book?"

Cassandra flushed. "I still have that copy of the 'Tale of the Champion.' I was hoping that I might get Hawke to autograph it. Though I don't know if she will."

"I think she will." Leliana said. "You'll never know unless you ask her. Just like you will never know what joys you can have unless you take that chance with Lavellan."

Cassandra thought for a moment then asked. "Tell me Leliana, would you have been this supportive or accommodating had the Inquisitor pursued Josephine or would you have threatened her? Would you have terrified the poor girl, making her believe that she'd end up in tiny-itty-bitsy pieces if she as so much as made Josephine sniffle?"

"I would have demanded her intentions toward Josie to be sure, of course. Josie's is naive when it comes to the affairs of the heart, I'd not want her toyed with. She's all niceness before knives. My love for her is as deep as if she were my sister. She is in all but blood."

"And you're not worried Ellana is toying with me?"

The Spymaster shook her head. "You are quite adept at looking after yourself, Cassandra. And I would have only challenged the Inquisitor hoping she'd challenge me back, be defiant and defend her feelings and the truth of them for Josephine. And yes, there would be knives before niceness should anyone hurt Josie. I must protect her.

"While the Inquisitor was flirtatious with Josie, she never took it beyond anything that can be seen as serious not as she is with you. After all, did she not get Varric to write a new chapter to 'Swords and Shields' just for you? A book I might add the author hates and had all but given up on it. Varric wrote it by request not just for her but for you. When Lavellan asked him for it and added a little tidbit you were an avid fan apparently, he just had to finish it.

"She sought after the missing Seekers for you. Not for the Inquisition but _for_ you. She is helping you hunt down the renegade mages and templars again because you asked her to not because it would help the Inquisition, though it most certainly will. Harding even tells me that she saw you and our Inquisitor take a ride very early this morning. She's never offered to take anyone else with her. And that great beast is as protective over you as he is of her.

"Maybe you should think about the fact you are the only one to actually call her by her given name. Not that that has any real bearing I suppose. After all everyone calls Hawke by her family name rather than her given name save of course for her sister. But you… you're the only one that actually feels comfortable with using 'Ellana.'"

"I never do so publicly." Cassandra quickly riposted the observation as if she were breaking some sort of protocol or etiquette by being so very familiar with the Inquisitor.

Leliana only smiled. "Exactly. Is it not strange that a person's name can became a pet name? How many people do you think call The Hero of Ferldon, Maharial? Before her fancy title, it was always Warden-Commander, before that it was simply Warden and in one case 'It'. Save for me of course, I had other special names for her.

"The point I'm trying to make is one you already know but are so damn suborn you're not allowing yourself to feel it. She makes you _feel_…warm, safe and comfortable. Like you can say anything to her and she'd never use it against you. Not ever."

"You have that with the Hero of…your wife."

"Not even Josie sees me with my guard completely down, Cassandra. There is only one soul other than Justinia who has ever seen me completely and utterly unguarded. That is precious. So very precious."

Cassandra looked out of the windows within the rookery where their wanderings had taken them. "I want this, Leliana. I do. I fear…. I'll mess this up. I know next to nothing about Dalish customs, lore or their ways. Other than the fact they prefer the Green then walls of a city."

Leliana grinned. "I can help you with that. I can certainly tell you how to avoid some of the pitfalls I stumbled into with clumsy words."

"You! Clumsy words?" Cassandra remarked incredulously.

The Spymaster nodded, "Avoid talking about how well trained elven servants are appreciated in Orlais, it will be taken very badly. Declaring anything negative about elven religion - also not a good move, even if you feel it is nothing but nonsense. Their devotion to their gods is marked upon their faces. And while they have respect for Andraste they don't have any love for the Maker. The Exulted March on the Dales is something still very sore with them. 'Never again will we submit.' That is core to the Dalish belief.

"Mahariel told me once she believed the Maker to be a criminal of the worst sort. He abandoned his children not once but twice and allows them to be victims of the most horrendous atrocities add to that he allowed his most beloved wife to be brutally murdered.

"I asked her what she would say to the Maker if she met Him. She said. 'The wasting disease in children? What's that about? How dare you! How dare you create a world where there is such misery that is not our fault. It's not right. It is utterly utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded stupid god that creates a world that is so filled with injustice and pain?'

"It gave me pause to think. I asked her if she wanted to be allowed to be by the Maker's side. My love said she wouldn't want to. She didn't want to get in on his terms. She told me they were wrong. She understood her own gods. She had more truck with them because the elven gods, 'they didn't pretend not to be 'mortal' in their appetites, in their capriciousness, in their unreasonableness. They don't represent themselves as being all seeing, all knowing, all kind, all beneficent. If the Maker created this universe, then he is quite clearly a maniac. An utter maniac. Totally selfish.'

"She was incensed to think that the Maker's worshippers had to spend their lives on their knees thanking Him. She didn't understand what kind of god would do that. She told me 'Yes the world is very splendid, but it also has in it insects whose whole life cycle is to burrow into the eyes of children and make them blind. They eat outwards from the eyes. Pft! Why?! Why did the Maker do that to us?! He could have easily made a creation where that didn't exist. That is simply not acceptable.'

"I never pressed her again to believe in the Maker. And I admit that when Justinia died I thought my love right. Was that what the Maker wanted? Our blood? Was that all he wanted? I told the Herald she was lucky that she didn't even believe in the Maker for He asks a lot. I found myself asking what kind of god is the Maker? At the time, it was perfectly apparent. He was monstrous, utterly monstrous, he deserves no respect whatsoever. The moment you banish Him your life becomes simpler, purer, cleaner more worth living."

Cassandra was flabbergasted. "Surely you do still do not believe that?!"

"There are days, I do." The Left Hand of the Divine admitted. "What sort of god creates the Blight to punish all creation when it was a handful of magisters that committed the crime? I look up to the sky now with the great tear in it and think why does he hate us so? Then I think of Andraste and believe perhaps we should have a goddess instead, for she is worthy of our devotion. My love respects and honors Andraste as does the woman who yearns to be your lover. Let that be enough, Cassandra."

The Seeker paused for a moment then in a soft voice. "You said all of this and yet you think the Maker wants Ellana and I to be?"

"If not He, then his Bride surely does. Why else send two messengers? The one in your dreams and me? If she has to send a third and you miss it, no other will come and you will lose her Cassandra."

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At the same time: The Inner Circle was taking bets.

It was the semi-weekly-when-ever-we-can game of Wicked Grace. They played in the dining hall within the Keep proper.

"Who whadda thought it, Inky all sweet on Cassandra?" Sera chuckled. "I mean we all seen 'em dance around each since Haven and all but I never thought it'd get all more. I thought she was just chatting Cassandra up like she done me. Weren't nothen' serious. Mind you I wouldn't have minded a good toss with Inky, bet she's a wildcat in the sack. That willowy-bendy body, I love watch'en 'er on the battlefield. I typically don't go for other elves. We're both bony so it'd be like clackety-clackety-clack. But…Inky…woof! Lady Fluff-an-Duff is one lucky woman. 'Course Cassandra is well built, can't blame Inky for wanting to get into her breeches."

"The Boss can dance that's for damn sure and she needs someone who can keep up." Iron Bull agreed. His face impossible to read so none would see he had a very lousy hand. As a Ben-Hassrath spy he was very good at two things. Hitting things and lying. And right now, he was bluffing the black off his horns. "Then again so is Cassandra. Impressive and powerful, they make a good match."

Varric shook his head not at his hand but at the comments of his companions. "I hope Her Inquisitorialness is careful. These sorts of romances don't often end well." He placed three down and waited for Dorian to replace them, as it was the mages turn to deal.

"What sorts? What are you on about now?" Sera almost demanded behind her hand.

"The Seeker bagged herself a rare breed, the driver of a story, a protagonist. And a good story. Well, that's about hurting good characters and seeing how they react. I've seen it. And wrote it. A thousand times. Expect some dramatic bumps in the road that's all."

"Inky is an elf. Not whatever you said. Weirdy." She traded up one card.

"Why am not surprised you have no idea what a protagonist is? He meant hero, Darling." Vivienne chastised the elf's ignorance as she placed a card down and signalled for two others.

"Yeah well ain't no never mind." Sera spat, hating being made a fool of. The blond elf knew she wasn't smart not like Inky or the rest of them. She had no proper learnin' or nothen'. She knew enough to read and write some, she weren't no good at sums, but it didn't matter. She never needed nothen' more. Not with her arrows. Lots of people thought her stupid, even most of the Inner Circle. Inky was the only one who treated her like what she said mattered, didn't treat her like she was too stupid for not understandin' things.

"Maybe they'll be the lucky ones." Blackwall said drawing attention to himself. He like Bull decided to play the hand he had been dealt. "Our friend has a unique bounty of luck considering all she has been through. I place good money on the two of them making a good go at it."

Dorian took a deep sip of his wine. "We may be all jumping ahead of the story. The two-would-be-lovers are still in the rough as it were. Our dear Inquisitor came to me asking about human poetry. She said she had to properly court our Lady Seeker. It was imperative she get everything just right." The mage grinned like a storybook cat. "She even had a list, if you can believe it."

"A list? What kind of list?" Iron Bull shook his head. "Look it's easy all the Boss has to do is get a dragon's tooth break it in two, she keeps one half, gives the other to Cassandra. Her kadan."

"Wait is that how you guys do it in the qun or is that cus' Cassandra comes from a clan of dragon hunters?" the blonde elf tilted her head to the side like a confused puppy. She placed a silver in the pile

"Never thought of that! Makes the tooth even more significant." Bull admitted with a toothy smile. "But yes it's how we of qun show another they mean something special to us. We don't do marriages or that proper courting bullshit. Doesn't mean we don't carry a torch for someone special." He saw Sera's silver and bet two more.

"I don't think Cassandra would appreciate the sentiment, my dear." Vivienne shook her shaved head. She met the bet. "She was born to a Noble House however and she should be properly courted. No offence to our Inquisitor but I don't see how a young Dalish woman would know the finer intricacies. Lady Lavellan should have come to me for advice."

"Pft, there's a reason she didn't yeah? Maybe she didn't wanna learn how to play second fiddle to someone else's piece of pie."

"If you are attempting to insult the position of mistress you are failing, little imp. It is a position of respect in Orlais and within the Court. I got along famously with Duchess De Ghislain before she passed on. She never begrudged my relationship with Bastion."

"Leave it to you Big People to make doing shit like cheatin' sound like good thing. But it ain't. If Inky and Cassandra get it together they won't be no cheatin' on each other."

"So this book Glowey is after…" Varric interrupted before the women had a real go at each other. He tossed his silvers into the pot, fairly confident in his hand. He had three drakes, and two kings. "Where did you point her, Sparkles?" the author wanted to know. "And here I'm the writer…strange she didn't come to me. She did ask me to finish 'Swords and Shields' for the grumpy Seeker. I took one look at those large blue eyes and found myself unable to say no to her. Finished the series even if it meant the book would probably be stabbed by the Seeker. She has a bad habit of doing that to my books. But I'm a sucker for a good show and seeing the Seeker go all gooey and gushing. Totally worth it, even if it was the trashiest thing I've ever written."

"I'll say." Dorian nodded then folded, he liked to keep his silvers thank you very much. "I tried reading the first one, couldn't even get through it. I have no idea what Cassandra finds so appealing in that smut."

"_Thank you,_ Sparkles always a good to know there's a critic in the house." Varric sardonically rebuffed the mage's opinion.

"So where did you point her?" Blackwall asked hoping to distract the men as they had with Sera and Vivienne before. Heated words and drink was never a good combination, especially combined with gambling. The room could explode like qunari gatlock. He placed his silvers in very confident that the First Enchanter to the Imperial Court was bluffing as was Bull. Sera had a good hand but not great, she could never keep control of her tells. Varric was a bit of puzzle…

Dorian grinned. "Something that was racy, saucy, very steamy. Only a few titles measure up. The best being of course is 'Carmenum di Amatus'. I had a copy of it back home. Wooed my fair share of young virile lovers with those wonderful words."

Vivienne chuckled, "How perfectly scandalous my Dear. It is sure to work, I don't know about Tevinter but here in the South that particular book had been banned. I fear she will not come by it easily, even in Val Royeaux."

"Banned?" Varric questioned his answer came in the form of a nod from the noble-born humans. "Guessing that's the Chantry's doing?"

"Indeed, it was. Our dear young Inquisitor may have to go black market to obtain one. I highly doubt any of the booksellers in the City of Lights will actually have it on their shelves."

"What's so dirty about this Carmmen dee Armpits that it's gotta be banded?" the blonde elf scoffed. "Does it talk about bits meetin' other bits getting all saucy and stuff?"

"Amongst other things, yes. But not in the way you imagine my dear."

"You don't know what I imagine, Vivy. Yeah know if she really wanted to surprise Cassandra, Inky could have just…"

"Shaved something vulgar in her privates?" Vivienne interrupted Sera's train of thought. "That is something redundantly low-brow only you would appreciate, Sera."

"Oohh I was gonna say somethin' boring like make Cassandra an ugly hat that looks like Coreifefish an' fill it with apples so everyone can hit it. Or tell everyone that Cassandra was her lover. To me that would be the best gift ever. But _that_…. wow…. that's somethin' else! Didn't think you could come up with somethin' like that Vivy! And look you're puckerin' pink cuz you thought of somethin' smutty and I didn't!" Sera belted out a knee slapping laugh that got a few of the others to follow. "Whoohooo look where all Lady Iron Bitch's mind goes first thing, right to the naughty good-bits."

Vivienne ground her teeth, her self-control wavering. There would be nothing she'd like more then to send the foul little imp out the hall's window. However, she managed to retain a measure of calm if only not to give the blonde she-devil a sense of satisfaction. She was after all a mistress of the Grand Game. Revealing one's utter dissatisfaction and disdain for another was a sure way to lose the Game. Doing so had graver consequence than losing all your clothes at Wicked Grace.

"You know," Varric's voice slipped between the seething women growing tempers once more. "I never pegged the Seeker for a poetry sort of woman. Then I find out she likes trashy romance novels. Makes you wonder what else the stalwart and taciturn Seeker is hiding under that iron shell. Hopefully not copper plated marigolds." After a pause, he added. "I call: three drakes and two crowns."

Iron Bull picked up the ball the dwarf had tossed back into play. "Just goes to show you just because you can cut a man's head clean off with a sword doesn't mean you can't like the mushy stuff." he laid his hand down. He had a pair of sevens.

"Are you speaking for Lady Pentaghast or yourself Iron Bull?" Dorian teased, very glade he had folded earlier.

"Why don't you try reading some of that stuff to me 'Vent and we'll find out." the Qunari jibbed back.

"Oh, a challenge!" the mage rubbed his hands together, his lips pulled back into a gleeful smarmy smirk. "I do so love a challenge."

"You want to ride the Bull, Vent? You sure you have what it takes?"

"Up against the wall or hard and heavy between the sheets? I can take whatever you dish out Qunari and then some."

"Whoa whoa can you guys just go get a room already?" Sera wrinkled her nose. "I'm all for loven' and doing the nasty but save it when the rest of us ain't around." Her three of a kind beat the Bull's pair.

The mage had two pairs nines and fives. "For once I'm inclined to agree with the little urchin." Vivienne seconded the motion.

"It occurs to me," Blackwall drew attention to back him, Maker take him for he had one pair of deuces. The walk of shame was his! "If we are all here, who went with the Inquisitor to Val Royeaux? Do you think she took Solus and Cole with her? I know she left Cassandra behind, you don't think Lady Lavellan left on her own, do you?"

No one had an answer. And the question detracted attention away from the Warden having to strip down.

"I saw Chuckles before I came here. He was too busy painting that fresco of his to join us. As for the Kid, I haven't seen him. She could have taken him with her." Varric answered. "Ah crap… you don't think she went by herself?"

"How come ain't one us gone with her? Inky doesn't like cities, she's too Dalish for 'em. She's all about the Green. Andraste's tits we gonna have to go after her!"

"If we don't we won't have to wonder how this story plays out, Cassandra will skin us and eat us alive." Iron Bull said rising his great girth to his feet and headed for the door out of the private dining hall.

"It isn't The Seeker I'm worried about it's the Spymaster." Dorian shuddered trailing after the Qunari. "I don't fancy having my throat slit while I sleep."

Varric was inclined to agree more or less. "I don't know what is worse dreading the shiv in the back or Lady Stabbity chasing after you." He pushed himself away from the table to follow the others.

"We may yet catch up to her if we don't tarry." Blackwall said as he was near the exit. Thus far no one demanded he shed his clothing, thank the Maker for distractions and a stubborn elven lass bent on wooing a hardened warrior.

"Too bad you ain't got no useful magic Vivy that will zap us bang right to Inky's side."

"Indeed."

"Hey Blackwall!" You didn't do the Wicked!" Iron Bull said slightly disappointed as it suddenly occurred they hadn't quite finished their game.

"Yeah how about that?" the bearded man smirked.

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	3. Chapter 3

Cassandra was not happy. Foolish foolish girl! How could she have gone off by herself!? There were so many dangers: demons, Red Templars, Venitori, bandits, assassins all wanting Lavellan's blood. The Seeker could not believe the Herald could be so irresponsible to go anywhere without appropriate protection and for what? Some sort of shopping trip that none of the Inner Circle apparently knew of. This was remarkably unbelievable.

After her rather insightful conversation with Leliana, Cassandra left the Keep proper and returned outdoors hoping to find the woman she had lost her heart to, but Lavellan was nowhere to be found. That's when she discovered after pressing Scout Harding that the Inquisitor had gone to Val Royeaux apparently by herself. What could possibly have prompted such an idiotic move?

Her hindbrain kicked her forebrain and chastised her. 'She went there for you _dumpfbacke_. Isn't it obvious? She had to have asked Leliana to distract me somehow.'

Cassandra knew, she just knew Ellana would never have asked the Spymaster to speak on her behalf, to convince her that the match was perfect. The elf was far too forthright, had too much integrity to conceive of such a tactic. But waylaying her, that was something else entirely that was something she could only ask the Left Hand to do. Leliana would want details of course. The Spymaster knew not only how to play the Grand Game; she knew how to play Dalish sensibilities, she was after all married to one.

Cassandra imagined how the conversation had gone:

'_If you want me to distract Cassandra you will have to tell me why I should.'_

'_She gave me a challenge and I will meet it. She cannot know I go to fulfill it. Please Leliana distract her for a time so I can prove myself worthy of courting her.'_

_A coy knowing smile spread across the Spymaster's lips one of self-satisfaction and mischief 'Very well. But unless you tell me where it is you are going I will not keep silent.'_

'_Val Royeaux.'_

_Arms garbed in purple silk folded over the cowl, 'I will give you the time it takes to travel to the City of Lights, find what you need and return. No more. My people will be shadowing you but not interfere. If you don't return by the marked time Cassandra, the Inner Circle and the other Advisers will know. You do not have the option of agreeing Inquisitor. For your own safety, this is the way must be or I tell her now. Choose.'_

'_I agree to the terms." an eager nod. A tentative hand reaching out to place on the upper arm of a woman she deemed far more dangerous and more frightening than the Seeker since they first met. "And thank you Leliana you have no idea what this means to me.'_

'_Do you love her?'_

'_With all my heart. She _**_is ma sa'lath. Ma vhenan'ara_**_.'_

_Leliana placed her own hand upon the small elven shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Then may your Creators bless you Inquisitor and Andraste bless you both. Good luck.'_

"**_Ma Serannas, _****lethallan.'**

Cassandra closed her deep chocolate eyes she told herself it was the glare of the sun that made the tears leak out of the corners of her eyes. She was on the battlements that had a direct view of the Inquisitor's balcony. She told herself there was nothing to worry about, nothing to be concerned about. Lavellan was a Dalish elf; she was more than able to cope with dangers of the wilds from here to the City of Lights. And Leliana's people were in Val Royeaux, nothing was going to happen to Lavellan. Nothing. Nothing. Maker willing nothing!

"Fear. Worry. I set her on this course. I made this challenge. If she falls it is my fault. So close, but it will change everything."

"I don't need to probe my mind Cole!" the Seeker snapped not even bothering to look around for the spirit-demon boy. "Stay out of it."

"I don't need to probe your mind, Cassandra; it's there on your face."

"Then I don't need looking at me like that, go bother someone else."

"All right." the boy-spirit made a move to leave but was stopped by a woman's hand on his bony arm.

"Wait! You can read anyone that needs help, right?"

"Yes."

"I need help finding the Inquisitor. Where is she? Is she in danger? Does she need help? Is she hurt?"

Cole looked up to the sky, his eyes closed. "Hunting. They took it! Damn-and blast, fracking bandits, probably the only copy the Chantry hasn't burned and they fracking took it! Cass wants it, have to find it! Find them! Make it perfect. So very perfect. Prove I am worthy of courting her like a shem Noble. Shem'len confuse me. Doesn't matter. Only Cass matters. Cassandra _ma emma lath_ _vhenan'ara. _Whatever lengths … I will meet them for you. _Ma'arlath_, _vhenan'ara."_

Guilt riddled the marrow of Cassandra's being. When she said those things to Ellana about the ideal romance she never meant it as a challenge. She never meant to place this young woman in danger. Damn it! Why couldn't she have just kissed her in the grove after their ride with the hart? It would have gone so much better.

Ellana would never have been in danger chasing after whoever that took whatever all because she issued a lover's challenge. Damn it! She slammed her fist down on the stone balustrade when Ellana returned to Skyhold, Cassandra vowed to make sure the young elven woman knew her words were never meant as a challenge. She loved the younger woman dearly but she would put aside her feelings to keep her safe, protected. Despite all else, Cassandra wanted her lady love (even if she could never admit that was what the Dalish woman was), as safe as absolutely possible.

The Seeker rounded on Cole: "Cole, you're from the Fade right? Can you get to Lavellan?"

"I don't know."

"What the hell do you mean you don't know?" she snarled glaring blazing frozen icicles at the thin gaunt face. "What kind of demon are you?"

"The good kind? I want to help."

"Then help by going to her! Now!"

"I will try." the boy-spirit said in his normal soft manner. "But your need for help is greater than Lavellan's. It makes things muddy. I can't find the Focus."

"Ignore me, Cole. Go to her. Go to Lavellan. Please! "She spoke to him as she would a mabari hound "That's how you can help me, you're the only one can get to her quickly. Keep her safe! Only she matters. Please Cole. "

"Yes, keep her safe." He had his Focus now; the blonde waif vanished to fulfil it. He liked the Inquisitor. She was kind. Always soft spoken. Gentle. She looked at him and there was pain in her heart. A need to protect. He reminded her of her sister. When he thought of the Inquisitor it was the wrong word. To him…she was…mother. Yes, he would go to her. Help her. Watch and protect her. Keep _Mother_ safe.

Cassandra turned away her gaze falling upon the Inquisitor's window once more. Was Cole the third messenger?

When Ellana came back Cassandra would ensure the elf knew she didn't have to answer to any challenge, that it wasn't necessary. She was more than open to the idea of them deepening their relationship to the romantic level.

'_Maker,' _her hand going to the symbol of Andraste she kept hidden under her tunic. She drew it out and kissed it _'please bring her back to me.' _

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It was a surprise.

She had grown accustomed to the smell of wood smoke, hot iron, steel and silverite. What Cassandra wasn't prepared for was the sweet delicate scents of flowers: roses, lilacs, honeysuckle, tiger lilies, jasmine, daises, and Andraste's grace.

The smell grew stronger with each step she took that lead from the armory's ground floor to the attic where she slept. She took a tentative step up and another. The scent was powerful now, amongst the flowers the very skittish city-born elf named Kira. She was the young woman whom Cassandra employed to tend to the Herald back in Haven after she had sealed the rift those first few days. Lavellan had also taken the girl into her care—her hand-maiden as it were.

Cassandra knew at first it had been out of pity for the mousey girl and an undeniable urge to protect her from perhaps the less than benign treatment at the hands of humans who saw only another knife-eared servant. Upon seeing the Seeker the girl almost fell to her knees as would a slave of Tevinter.

"Milady Cassandra." Kira's voice quavered. The fear of being punished lived behind large green eyes. She was positively terrified. "Please! I…I was asked to…to…bring the flowers here after they arrived. Her worship…she asked for my help."

Cassandra spoke softly. "It's quite alright, Kira I am not upset." she offered one of her very rare smiles. "Indeed…. quite the opposite." She moved to one of the bouquets and inhaled the sweet scent of jasmine and honeysuckle. "She's back then? The Inquisitor?"

A frantic shaking of the head. "I…. I was given the instructions by a note."

Cassandra quirked an eyebrow at that, she knew the girl couldn't read. "A note?"

The red head bobbed her head. "Yes. I …her Worship has been teaching me to read and write some."

That was just like Lavellan, Cassandra marvelled. A soft tender heart beat behind the Dalish maiden's chest. Of course, she would help the elven servants to read and write, and why not? Did not Andraste herself lift up Shartan? More and more Cassandra was falling for Lavellan. Was all of this, all these flowers the reason she went to Val Royeaux?

The Seeker removed her gauntlet so that she might feel the velvet softness of the honeysuckle petals. The smell was sweet and lingered in her nostrils. How could Ellana have known her favorite flower was the honeysuckle? Did someone tell her? No…Cassandra doubted that even with all her collection of secrets that not even Liliana knew.

Then a name popped into her head or rather a face, waif-like and gaunt. Of course, Cole could have fished it out of her thoughts and told the Inquisitor. That was probably it. It was only seconds since she had stopped talking to the still trembling servant-girl and took to smelling the flowers.

"Thank you, Kira. You did a wonderful job."

The small elf beamed at the praise. Lavellan was probably the only other one that offered kind words rather than cool dismissal at best for the city-born elf. Even the Seeker had been guilty of ordering the waif about and dismissed her as indifferently as she would have shooed a hound away. Kira wouldn't have even gotten a 'good girl, here's a biscuit now out.'

Kira would have taken the Seeker's apathy eagerly as praise for it was not a beating. Lavellan had changed that, changed the way Cassandra looked at all the elven servants. And she hadn't been the only one. Of course, Liliana always treated the elves the same as she treated humans or dwarves. No doubt due in no small part to Maharial's influence.

There were some within the Inquisition that still viewed the elves as nothing more than knife-ears or rabbits: someone to bully, kick, take a switch to or cruelly chastise. It was one of the many reasons several people serving within the Inquisition at Haven had been replaced with those far more amenable to taking orders from an elf once they reached Skyhold.

"Thank you, Milady." Kira as positively beaming. "She…she cares for you Milady." she offered almost bravely. "It's…there in her eyes whenever she sees you." Kira ducked her head again feeling all the boldness drain out of her, fearing she might have taken too many liberties and a reprise was surely waiting for her. She actually physically winced bracing for a backhand or other physical blow.

Cassandra took pity on the elven lass. She kept her voice soft, soothing as if trying to calm a terrified kitten to come out from under the bed, "And what do you think of that, or even the other elves of the Herald of Andrasta being with the Right Hand of the Divine? A Dalish rogue with a _shemlen _warrior?"

"It…it's not for us to say, Milady." had she been a mage, Kira could have stared a hole into the floorboards her gaze was fixated so keenly on them.

"And if it were?"

"She…she needs someone to protect her, Milady. No one's better than you." Kira looked up meeting Cassandra's eyes for a millisecond, then quickly back down to her feet, back to staring a hole in the floorboards. "You…you care for her too. Most of us think you two are already…. together." the last sentence was so softly spoken Cassandra had to strain to hear them. "Maybe you're supposed to be."

If Cole wasn't the third messenger was Kira? Were they a tag-team? Did it matter?

The Seeker smiled. "Kira, I want to know at once when the Inquisitor arrives." It was a command but not harshly given unlike the last time she had given it. Which was more of a barked order than anything else; it was also a clear dismissal.

"Yes Milady." She stared for the steps.

Cassandra's hand paused over a small bloom of Andraste's grace, just as the elven servant took the first step. "Wait a moment." The Seeker took the blossom from the vase and handed it to the elf. The act of such kindness utterly shocked, Kira. Her sharp angular face brightened in a child-like look of sheer glee at getting presents on Feast-Day.

"Thank you!" then she all but flew down the steps and out of the armory.

And now that she was alone the Seeker did something she ardently denied doing. She swooned.

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Now the Seeker was becoming worried.

By now Lavellan should have been back from Val Royeaux, until Cassandra recalled that something had happened to upset the Herald. Thieves had taken something she had deemed of great importance and she had to go track it down. It was why the native Navarin had sent Cole after the Dalish rogue. Then the third day rolled around Cassandra was nearly ready to assemble the troops and go look for her, though she didn't have a clue where she would start. Orlais…. Ferelden….somewhere in between?

Surely Liliana would know, she had her eyes and ears everywhere. There wasn't a region of the south the Nightingale hadn't covered with at least three agents. Scouts were in almost every arldom, dukedom, always reporting back. Each semi-permanent campsite in those regions had two scouts and at least half a dozen soldiers if not more. Someone had to have seen something. Surely.

Marching into the rookery on the top floor of the library Cassandra found the Left Hand of the Divine poring over several reports, most of which had come in by raven.

"Where is she?" it was a command. "It has been three days and still no word, she should be here."

The redhead looked up from under her purple cowl. "Good afternoon to you to Cassandra." came a purr.

"You know where the Inquisitor is, I know you do. Where is she?" The Seeker's voice was beginning to take on a sharp edge. One that spoke of very little tolerance for the dance she and the Left Hand sometimes played. Cassandra was obviously in no mood for games this time.

Despite the emotional turbulence, Cassandra had worked herself to be in, Liliana smiled softly, perhaps taking pity on her friend and counterpart. "Lady Lavellan is fine Cassandra. She had gone to Val Royeaux to Redcliff then to the Hinterlands."

"Redcliff! Why Redcliff? She should be home with me…_us._ Here with us. Safe. Why the Hinterlands? Not another rift?"

Expert at the Grand Game the Bard pretended not to take note of the slip as she divulged what she knew of Lavellan's whereabouts. "No, not a rift nothing so dangerous. The Inquisitor was apparently talking to venders. Apparently one of the venders had been ransacked, being who she is, of course the Inquisitor offered to help track down the bandits thus headed back out into the wilds of the Hinterlands. She wasn't completely alone, Cole has joined her." Liliana held up a small coiled roll of parchment that had been tightly tucked in a tiny bamboo capsule

"I received this just before you came up here, I didn't have a chance to read it before you started in with the questions." she gave the taller woman a pointed look that said: see-if-only-you-had-a-bit-of-patience-I-could-have-told-you. Liliana unrolled the note and read it and smile appeared on her ruby lips. "You can rest easy now Cassandra; your Lavellan is on her way back to Skyhold as we speak."

Cassandra's whole posture seemed to visibly relax.

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Cassandra was a body of confliction. As soon as she saw the red maned elf she wanted to shake her and ask her what in the Maker's name did she think she was doing going off all by herself like that?! She wanted cuff her upside the head like a petulant recruit, she wanted to take Lavellan into her arms and hold her, kiss her. Tell her she was a fool for disappearing like she had. She did none of these things, of course. Instead she took out all her frustration out on the poor training dummies. Which by the time she was done with them they all had to be replaced and the Seeker started anew.

Lavellan had been back at Skyhold for three hours and still she had not checked in with Cassandra. A dummy lost its head. Why hadn't she checked in? Another dummy had no arms. The Seeker let out a disgusted noise that she had to once more replace those bloody stupid things.

Cassandra felt rather than saw Lavellan approach her. She turned to see a hopeful yet apologetic smile on the younger woman's face. The urges to throttle her and hold her warred once more in the human's heart and mind.

"You should not have gone off as you did without proper support." Cassandra scolded the elf.

Lavellan had the decency to look sheepish. "I know. But Cole found me…"

"Only because I sent him after you. I knew he could reach you in time should any danger befall you, Ellana." Cassandra's voice had only marginally softened.

The impish smile returned to the elf's chagrined features, reaching her twinkling eyes. Cass had said her _name_ not her title…so she had been forgiven. This was promising.

In one fluid motion, one that took little thought the blade in Cassandra's hand was returned to its sheath. She was done with training for the day, besides she had run out of the dummies. Maybe she could ask Dagna to create an enchanted version that self-repaired? She shook the thought from her mind or rather it was trumped by other thoughts. The reason Lavellan had gone on the mission. The flowers in her quarters. And the reason why they were there.

"I can't stop thinking our talk earlier." Cassandra said candidly though slightly less tactfully. But that was one of her virtues: candor, tact however wasn't. Never would-be. That was Josephine's gift and even Liliana's. "My lady," she resorted to a safe distance of titles. "I never meant it as a challenge."

Lavellan stepped up her, her and caressed the deeply scarred cheek, her voice a honeyed whisper. "Is it so unbelievable that I care about you?"

Cold unfamiliar fingers of self-doubt and uncertain crept up the Seeker's spine. "I suppose not."

A thumb stroked her chin; Cassandra did not back away from the touch, and restrained herself from leaning into it, wanting more. "If you feel the same…then come to the grove we went to that morning's ride. Come just at dusk." Lavellan softly uttered.

The cold fingers were back like spider's legs along the back of her neck. Why was it that that blasted elf could make her blush like a school-girl so very easily? She did not swoon! She did not! But she had, hadn't she? The flowers…Even if no one was around to see it; to testify they witnessed it Cassandra had indeed swooned like a character in 'Swords and Shields.'

"If you're sure." the Seeker said feeing like an idiot after the words left her mouth.

Lavellan grinned. "I am very sure. Trust me."

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It was nearing dusk when Cassandra started to make her way out of her quarters. The smell of the blossoms still filled her nostrils. The smile on her face turned into a slightly confused expression when she saw Falon'len, Lavellan's hart seemingly waiting for her at the door of the armory. He had on a saddle and the hackamore bridle around his muzzle

He shook his massive head and snorted as if saying 'what are you waiting for? Get on already.'

Cassandra sans armor reached up and touched the red fur of the hart's thick neck with her bare hand. If Lavellan had something up her sleeve as no doubt the little elf did, Cassandra decided to forgo her typical off duty armor and just wear a simple white linen tunic and black breeches, she stuck with the thick dragon hide boots however. They had conformed to her feet and were very comfortable. Why bother with anything else?

Her body so accustomed to wearing heavy plate felt oddly light as she leapt onto the hart's back. Knowing he was as least as intelligent as a mabari hound she leaned down and without feeling foolish and uttered softly. "Very well then, take me to her."

The hart tossed his head once then spun as the saying goes on a silver and bounded out of the Keep's walls, along the long bridge to the forested area along the mountain range. It took relatively no time at all for Falon'len to guide the Seeker to the designated place and like a chauffeur he stopped just short of it, allowing Cassandra to walk the rest of the way on her own.

The first thing Cassandra noticed was the path into the grove was aligned on both sides by thick white beeswax candles. She found herself once more in awe; the whole grove was alight with golden luminance.

_She didn't…she couldn't have…_

"On aching branch do blossoms grow…" Lavellan's voice uttered nearly whisper soft out from the branches of a tree causing Cassandra to nearly spin in a startled circle at the sound of them. In the left hand of the Inquisitor was an old expensively bound book, the words she spoke came from there. "It carries the scent of honeysuckle, sweet as a lover's kiss."

A blush crept up on Cassandra's cheeks and was growing deeper as Lavellan leaned suggestively in, her blue-purple eyes lingering a touch longer on her lips. To cover for her blush, she gently pushed the elf in the shoulder, yet at the same time felt a stirring in the pit of her belly as if whole flocks of butterflies had been set free

Ellana took a couple of steps to recover from the shove and smirked, her hands now raised theatrically high over her head as continued the recital. "It brings the promise of more tomorrows." with her back turned to Cassandra the elf didn't see the hand going to human's mouth covering it as if to muffle her sigh of surprise and yesss…there it was again that thing she _didn't_ do. "Of sighs and whispered bliss…" Ellana turned and went down on one gallant knee as a knight before her maiden fair.

To cover for her knees going weak and the butterflies, Cassandra almost scoffed. "You can't be serious."

Ellana was almost hurt, "Why…not? You have a very specific list if I recall."

"And _this_ is the poem you chose?" there was a humor in the question a smile on her lips.

"What's wrong with it?" There was that look, 'you kicked my puppy' face. Lavellan now rose to her feet.

Cassandra snatched it from the younger woman's hand not unkindly "'Carmenum di Amatus' I thought this one was banned." her lips curled into a coy smile. She took a few steps back, her hand going to her chest as she rested her back against a beech tree. "_Her_ lips on mine speaks words not voiced / A prayer which travels down my spine like flames that shatter the night." the elf moved to the tree, circled around it to stand behind Cassandra's body, so close they were touching. Cassandra continued the reading though she had not looked upon the pages, she knew the poem by rote. "_Her_ eyes reflect the Heaven's stars, the Maker's light / my body opens, filled and blessed / My spirit there…"

"…not merely housed in flesh but brought to life." Ellana finishes, her hand slipping around the Seeker's waist. Her voice drops to a seductive purr. "Shall we read another?"

Their eyes meet, Cassandra feels her heart slamming hard against her chest, the butterflies are permanent fixtures.

Cass does what she had wanted to do in this grove days ago,. She takes Lavellan by the back of the neck and kisses her. Hard at first, hungry. Her actions brought them cascading down to the ground, to the blanket that had already been set out. They kiss again and this time it feels familiar. They knew exactly how they fit together, Cassandra's arm around Ellana's waist, the elf's hands on the taller woman's cheeks, the pressure of lips on the others. They have each other memorized.

There are no more words. Kisses breathe long and deep, wanting takes their place. Deft callused fingers make short work of removing clothing. Bodies trembling not because of the cool mountain air that tickles their flesh but at the anticipation, the need, the want. Elven fingers slowly trailed along tanned muscular thighs in tiny sensual circles. Possessive fingers slid up from hip around to the back to shoulder blade, gently caressing the outline of the human's shapely body. Teeth set together as a hiss of pure pleasure left the lungs.

Ellana's naked form crawled slowly up the human body, becoming the dominant one, the aggressor. Ruby lips nipped light creamy skin as she kissed, explored, worshiped the woman of her heart, her soul. Long fingers trailed along toned hips, waist, and stomach until finally she came to Cassandra's breasts, causing the human to moan out her own inflamed needs, her desires. Ellana greedily—willingly answered that call. Cassandra matched touch for touch, kiss for kiss, and worshipful release for worshipful release.

They drifted within the tidal eddies of their lovemaking back down to earth, enjoying the warmth and comfort of other's arms, their bodies still entwined. Cassandra lay with her head pillowed on Ellana's arm her hand idly caressing the elf's sternum. After a moment she spoke, her words heavy with affection, her eyes gazing at the starlight.

"They will say one of two things about me when this is all over. That I stood at the Inquisitor's side as her protector and her lover. That it was meant to be."

Ellana shifted her arm so that she could prop herself up on one elbow to gaze into the face of the woman who had captured her heart.

"Or they will say I was led astray by the wiles of an elven madwoman."

"I don't care what they say. What do you believe?" Anxiety, love, passion reflected in blue eyes.

Cassandra returned the gaze. "I believe you are part of the Maker's plan, chosen by Andraste. Beyond that, I believe that you are capable of anything, and it frightens me. I have never known anything like it." her voice was soft as crushed velvet, sweeter then the scent of bee's pollen on a summer's breeze. She sat up. Her hand stroking first her lover's arm then slipped to the narrow fit torso "I've been with only one other, a mage with whom I adventured with when I was still very young. He died at the Conclave." her tone became bolder, possessive. "I will not let Corypheus win. I will not let him take you from me."

A dozen responses filtered in the Dalish's mind that she may have no choice or that she believed the Seeker, but the one that issued forward was a declaration. "I love you… _ma'arlath_"

Cassandra smiled, truly smiled. "Here tonight, I believe you." her own declaration sealed with a kiss, and another, and another. "Know that I love you, _Liebling." _Gently she lay Lavellan back down upon the blanket, straddling the smaller woman. "_Du bist schön_." the words offered in her lover's mother-tongue caused the Dalish rogue to smile.

Pleasure ripples directly to the core of the soul, consuming guiding yielding and demanding. Wanting to give, wanting to receive, tanned fingertips of one hand brushing along her inner thighs, the other hand under the neck along the elongated tips of pointed ears. Ruby lips taking sweet offerings of her mouth, tongue seeking entrance, one leg shifts between the thighs where fingers once danced, allowing the freed hand to cup the underside of elven buttocks.

Cass took the cue, the hand once holding the perfect backside now slithers along the toned muscles seeking the heated entrance. Fingertips tease the lower lips with tiny flickers upon the ghostly touch of butterfly wings until one then two fingers enter the slick wetness. The Seeker's thumb brushed against the hardened nub slipping easily directly into Ellana's divine rose. The elf succumbs to the blaze with want that generates the white lighting within.

"_Ma sa'lath" _a kiss._ "Vhenan'ara." _another kiss_ "Ma vhenan_."

Cassandra knew what the words had meant. Though she had gone first to Solas for language lessons it was Lilianna who thought her elven endearments. The very sound of elven words was poetry in-of-itself. And there Cassandra was again doing what she didn't do. Swoon.

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AN1: We all know Dwarves have American accents. Fereldans have English accents of various dialects. Orlesians have French accents. Antivans have Spanish accents (though some say Italian. To me Zev always sounded like Antonio Bandera's Puss-in-Boots. His love for Antivian leather boots just cemented that idea.) Dalish have Irish / Welsh accents and Navarins seem to have Germanic so that's why I gave Cassandra native language German roots. I know her brother is Anthony which is an Italian name but she doesn't sound Italian to me. Tevinter maybe South African? (Though their language seems to stem from Latin roots)

I used Alix Wilton Regan's voice (because I like Samantha Traynor though my femShep never left her sweet Liara. Of course, Alix is no stranger to DA as she was Ser Cauthrien and several others) I was hoping that as a Dalish my Inquisitor would have an accent like Merrill's which is Welsh due to Eve Myles being Welsh or even the Irish accent established by the DAII Sabrae clan and the clan we see in the Exulted Plains. So, I'm giving Lavellan more of a 'Dalish' lilt to her voice. Because I can.

AN2: I said 37 for her age because according to DAI wiki Cassandra is in her mid-late 30s during the events if DAI. In the book DA: 'The World of Thedas vol.1':

9:22 Dragon, the Grand Cathedral is set upon by dragons. The young Seeker Cassandra foils the conspiracy to kill Divine Beatrix III. She says she was very young woman at the time I'm thinking it makes her 19 / 20. In 9:30 Dragon the 5th Blight begins, making Cass 27 / 28. In 9:40 Dragon, a year after the events in the Gallows she goes to Kirkwall to interrogate Varric about Hawke making her about 37 / 38. 9:41 Dragon the events of DA:I occur (side note Hawke is and roughly 33-34 at this time)

AN3: I use Maharial for my Warden's given name. I know it's the family name and her cannon name is Lyna but Mareathari refers to her as Maharial more like it's her first name as she does with Tamlen. And even Merrill says in dialog "I thought I saw Maharial in the market the other day…' I'm using artistic license here so like Lavellan, Maharial's family name will be that of her clan Just as Merrill's: Sabrae

DA4: The poem

Yes, I changed the pronoun in the poem that is read with Inky and Cass but it was deliberate on Cass's part.

DA: Lexicon

Du bist schön = you are gorgeous (Navarin)

Liebling = beloved / darling (Navarin)

Dumpfbacke – dumbass (Navarin)

Hahren – honored elder

Lembas – elven whey bread (yes from LOTR owned by Tolkien, no copyright infringement meant)

Fenedhis – common Dalish curse

Ma sa'lath - my one love

Ma vhenan - my heart

Emma lath - my love

ma'arlath - I love you

Ma emma lath - you are my love

Vhenan'ara - heart's desire

Ma Serannas –my thanks / my gratitude


End file.
